Companion
by teejplease
Summary: Some humans are unlucky enough to know the real meaning of forever. Blade II.


Naveky glanced up when the steel door to her room opened with a slight gasp, signifying the difference in pressures. She turned a disinterested eye once she saw that it was only Damaskinos' head Familiar Kounen.

"Naveky," he said impatiently once it was clear she wasn't going to acknowledge his presence.

Since her back was to him, he didn't see the satisfied smirk that lit her face when she heard the tone of his voice. "Yes?" she spoke finally, her voice cool and not betraying any of her amusement. She turned to face him, her face carefully blank.

"He wants you," he declared shortly.

An elegant brow arched in surprise. "Well, we mustn't keep him waiting then," she replied, gesturing to indicate she would follow him. Despite her tranquil countenance, her heartbeat increased slightly – it had been _so_ long since she had been allowed pass the threshold to her chambers. She took in the differences that they had made in the building in the past few years as she walked. "Did he say what he wanted, Karl?"

Kounen gritted his teeth when he heard her blatant disrespect to him by using his first name so casually but didn't remark on it. Pity - she could've used the entertainment, no matter how short lived it would've been.

"Unlike some, I don't presume to know as much as my betters," he stated dryly.

Naveky rolled her eyes, waiting for him to open the door to their master's rooms. Out of the whole complex, the entrance to the vampire lord's rooms was one of the few that had heavier security than hers.

She did the customary bow when she caught sight of her master. "My lord," she murmured politely, keeping her eyes to the ground. She ignored Kounen's scoff at her artificial humility.

"Naveky," Damaskinos drawled in his raspy, aged voice. He shuffled closer towards her. "It has been a long time – five years, I believe."

"Eight," she corrected, watching his feet finally come into view of her down-turned gaze.

He made a dismissive noise, a shaking hand stretching to tip her chin up. "You are still the same, though," he declared in satisfaction, "your beauty is effervescent."

She gave him another small, graceful bow, but inwardly questioned his motives. Rarely did he ever give compliments. The fact that he gave her one so easily quickly made her suspicious. "You are too kind, sir." She held her breath when she heard him inhale deeply.

"I had forgotten," he murmured. "Your scent is…_ tantalizing_."

Naveky did not know what to say to that so she remained silent, half hoping that he would not be overcome with thirst and half hoping he would, simply for the fact that it would mean no more waiting.

He pulled away from her and began walking away. She let go of the breath she had been holding.

"The other has made himself known," he stated calmly, as if it did not mean the possible end of his reign. He did not bother saying who 'he' was; there was only one man whose arrival signified the need of her presence. "We have gathered a team to capture and annihilate the threat. Would you like to accompany them?"

She noticeably startled. He was letting her choose? If she agreed it would surely be mean her death. "My lord," she began cautiously, "I am not trained for such a venture."

He gave a small chuckle that sent a slight shiver down her spine. "The team that is going is. You wouldn't be expected to be much of an asset for the annihilation portion of their mission."

Her face revealed her surprise for a minute moment before it smoothed to the normal façade she wore around Damaskinos or his Familiar counterpart. "You have such a team?" she asked, curious despite the warning bells going off in her head.

Kounen finally spoke for the first time since they had entered. "The Bloodpack is well-equiped."

'_Bloodpack?',_ her mind screeched. So that was the game they were playing. They were using her friendship with Nyssa to force her hand. "What would you have me do?" she asked in resignation.

She didn't need to look at either of the men to know they both wore the same triumphant expressions.

* * *

The Bloodpack and Blade's team stood outside of Scud's van, discussing strategy.

"From what we can gather, the Reapers hunt in packs," Nyssa explained to Blade, "targeting places where vampires congregate. So far, they've attacked blood banks, safe houses, underground clubs like this." She gestured to the decrepit hotel.

"Where's the entrance? I don't see any signs, no vampire glyphs," Blade interrupted.

Nyssa handed him a pair of binoculars. "No, because of you we've had to rethink our habits, tighten our security. Have a closer look."

Blade switched to infrared and made an impressed face when the glyph on the building was now made plain to him. "Nice."

Nyssa smirked.

The two walked over to join the mismatched group who were outfitting themselves with weapons. When Whistler and Reinhardt began arguing with whether or not the old man could go, Blade quickly silenced the two with reason, suggesting that Whistler take the roof. The rest of the team ignored them.

Asad watched critically as each of the members suited up, making sure that each one was making no mistakes that could cost them their lives. The earpiece he was wearing beeped and he answered the sudden static promptly.

Nyssa's gaze fluttered to him, knowing the earpiece he was answering was the one that was linked with HQ.

"Understood," Asad declared, hand dropping. He gave Nyssa a weighted look.

"What is it?" Nyssa asked.

"They've seen fit to give us an ace in the hole," he replied.

Nyssa's brow furrowed at that. Before she could question him further, a nondescript, black car pulled up next to them. Even through the closed door, Nyssa could faintly smell the distinct scent emanating from the car's inhabitant. Similarly, she heard all the vampires behind her freeze.

She turned to spare a glance to the rest of the group who were watching the car with something akin to a trance. She made a harsh noise to catch their attention. "Whatever you do, don't drink her blood," she warned. Stepping forward, she moved to greet the addition to the group.

The car door opened and out stepped a foot incased in delicate shoe with a deadly looking heel. "Nyssa!" Naveky greeted warmly, all the stoicism and courtly manners she had displayed earlier gone, standing and greeting the other woman by dropping a kiss on her cheek.

Blade snorted. "This is the ace in the whole?" he asked in slight disbelief, obviously having listened to the short conversation that took place before the seemingly innocent woman in front of them arrived.

Nyssa led the woman to the watching group. "This is Naveky."

"She's human," Priest declared in disgust, despite the faint tantalizing scent surrounding the girl.

"She's bait," Nyssa countered shortly, slightly put out that her longtime friend was put in such a situation.

Dressed in a white, sweet dress, it was obvious what her purpose was. Her seemingly innocent look coupled with her scent making for a powerful temptation to any vampire.

"We take her in there, they'll rip her apart," Reinhardt pointed out.

"If we make it look as if she's someone's meal, she'll be fine," Nyssa countered.

Naveky said nothing – she may have agreed to this scheme, but that didn't mean she would make the situation any easier.

"She'll never blend in," Chupa sneered.

"That's the point!" Nyssa hissed back. "Look, if any Reapers are in the area they'll key to her scent."

"What's going on, B? What makes her so different from the rest of us?" Scud asked.

"I don't know how they did it, but she smells _different_." The large man shrugged.

"She smells like a hard on waiting to happen!" Reinhardt snarled.

"Stop, you'll make me blush," Naveky finally spoke up in a sarcastic voice. She didn't even blink when all eyes fell on her. "Look, I don't even want to be here but the fact is I am. And with me here, hunting will be much easier. So just deal with it." A large smirk spread across her face that made Scud shudder – he had never seen that expression on anyone human before. "Besides, the sooner you face them, the more fun you get to have."

Reinhardt shouldered his weapon, contemplating. Nyssa held her breath, knowing that if she had the Bloodpack's unofficial leader's acceptance, the other members would fall in line.

An answering, bloodthirsty smirk grew on the tall man's lips, and Nyssa exhaled.

* * *

Naveky followed the group silently as they entered the path to the House of Pain. She decided to break the silence, "So whose dinner am I tonight?"

As if by some silent group agreement, everyone turned to look at Chupa and Priest.

"Yay, a threesome," she quipped, rolling her eyes. "Just keep your fangs to yourself. I'm still Damaskinos' property."

The mention of the overlord silenced whatever complaints the two were about to voice.

Ignoring the dirty looks the two vampires were sending her, silently blaming her for their predicament, Nyssa turned to look at Blade. "This is our world you're entering. You'll see things – feeding – just remember why you're here."

"I haven't forgotten," he replied, face smooth and free of any expression.

"So what exactly are we looking for?" Priest asked when they reached the actual entrance to the club.

"Anyone who looks suspicious," Reinhardt answered plaintively.

Naveky stepped up next to her designated escorts for the night, giving them a disdainful look when she noticed their disgusted ones. The expression quickly dropped from her face when the large door opened, replaced with one of awe and slight fear. She latched onto the nearest vampire's - Priest's - arm and clutched it, emulating the regular humans who came to the club as an actual meal.

Priest stiffened before relaxing. On her other side, Chupa sent the other vampire a haughty look, obviously glad he wasn't the one stuck babysitting tonight.

"You've got to be kidding me," Blade muttered when the door fully opened. Naveky silently agreed – _everyone_ looked suspicious.

The group fanned out in unison, Naveky striding alongside Asad and Priest, carefully keeping the frightened look on her face. She mentally rolled her eyes when Priest began talking about pure bloodlines. Obviously he was too blinded by his snobbery to realize without the infected vampire population, vampires would be extinct.

Suddenly, another hand grabbed her, pulling her close and groping her shamelessly.

Naveky's wide 'scared' eyes looked into the vampire stupid enough to harass her. At any other time, she would've found him attractive. She was surprised when Priest grabbed her arm and pulled her back, snarling at the other vampire. Asad stepped forward to back up Priest.

The other vampire eyed the two before turning away, deeming her not worth a brawl.

Naveky allowed Priest to drag her along (not that much choice, seeing as she had no chance of overpowering a vampire) to the bar. "We all said she was a bad idea," he stated to Asad before the other man moved off to scope another area of the club. The other man ignored him. Priest turned his agitation towards the human next to him. "Scared?" he mockingly asked, watching her eye the whole place.

Naveky gave him a cool look that reminded him she wasn't actually the regular, panicky human she was pretending to be. "Hardly," she declared in a low voice he could barely hear. "It's just been awhile since I've been out of the compound."

Priest filed that information away – that meant she was one of the higher up Familiars if they kept her so close to home. He watched as she ordered a drink from the bartender, tipping his sunglasses when he noticed her looking at him expectantly. "What?"

She gave a small girlish laugh that grated his ears. She looked at the bartender flirtatiously before giving him the same look. "Silly," she said in a high, insipid voice, "you said you'd pay for my drink."

Priest restrained himself from throttling her. He and the bartender exchanged a look, the latter sympathetic that Priest's meal was so air-headed. He grumbled before tossing the man payment and led their 'bait' away. "You're a whore," he whispered into her ear, the two looking to those around them like a empassioned couple.

Naveky laughed her real laugh – low, throaty, and what would've been sexy if Priest didn't hate her – around her straw. "Tell me how you really feel," she shot back with a coy look, hand on the sliver of chest his open shirt revealed. She obviously was enjoying their performance maybe a little too much, relishing her time on the outside. She downed the rest of her drink in one swallow and, despite himself, Priest was impressed when she didn't even wince. She scowled when someone knocked into her, pressing her against Priest front to front. She stumbled but Priest didn't even budge. She turned her head to berate the person.

Priest froze when he saw her exposed jugular, her hair falling away to reveal smooth neck. For a Familiar, it was uncommon to have an unscarred neck. Priest felt his mouth water. Suddenly she wasn't the annoying human he was stuck with but the most irresistible thing in the room.

Naveky stopped yelling at the person who had offended her, her opponent walking away, so she turned to look back at the now silent Priest. She stiffened at the look on his face and she lifted a hand to slap him without hesitation.

"Bitch!" Priest cried, released out of his stupor. He grabbed her forearm and wrenched her up in anger, making her stand on her toes despite her high heels.

"Don't even think about it, buddy," she replied. "I am not for your tasting pleasure." She stared defiantly into his eyes and he reciprocated, neither willing to give in.

"Priest, stop flirting," Reinhardt piped into the redhead's ear. Chupa could be heard laughing in the background.

"I am not flirting," Priest near bellowed into the microphone attached to his collar, his grip slacking enough that the woman could stand comfortably once more. He glared at the girl before him and opened his mouth to direct his anger. Her amused face was the last he saw before they were knocked over. The pair slid across the floor a few feet before they came to a halt. Priest drew his weapon while Naveky hitched her skirt and tore the UV scope away from the strap on her thigh.

He scoffed when he saw her weapon of choice. "What's that going to do?"

"Save your life," she said back cheekily, despite the panic that was slowing taking over her entire being.

He rolled his eyes and cocked his weapon, the pair simultaneously turning to look at the Reaper that had shoved them in its haste to eat Naveky.

Proof of how stupid this vampire breed was: it had actually let the two banter back and forth instead of attacking, head tilted in curiosity. All around them, club goers had started stampeding towards the entrance, being herded by more Reapers.

Priest shrugged before shooting the Reaper in the head. He turned and took his companion's arm, pulling her away.

She let him lead her away before chancing a look backwards. "Um, Priest," she said urgently. "Look!"

He continued walking, not even looking at her.

"Priest!" she pulled away.

"What?" he yelled back into her face.

She gestured wildly and he looked. The Reaper was gone.

"Bloody bastards," he muttered under his breath. "I got him in the head, didn't I?" he asked her, suddenly unsure of his abilities.

She nodded, eyes wide.

"Fuck," he cursed. They both began searching for their missing adversary, but the rushing Vampires around them didn't make the task easier. "Fuck!" he repeated, eyes darting around the club.

"Shit, shit, shit," his human companion chanted. In front of them, three Reapers advanced, the club goers finally having cleared out. The duo began backing away from the hungry anomalies, Priest emptying his clip in by spraying the three with bullets. Naveky gripped his arm. "Reload," she yelled when the three got back up again after a few moments.

"I know, I know!" he replied, shoving another clip into his gun. "Fuck!" he swore again, shooting them. "Make yourself useful somehow, girl!"

Any other time, she would've taken offense to the label, instead she shouted in panic. "How?" She was startled when something touched her back, almost screaming before realizing it was the wall.

"Fuck if I know!" Priest cried next to her, shooting the Reapers down when they began leaping towards the two. Still they got up. They were soon joined by a fourth. "Fuck you, bastards!" He had to pause to reload again.

"Hurry up!" she said, shaking. She had been trained to handle many situations but this wasn't one of them. "We need back up!" she said desperately into her mike.

"We're busy," came the static-y reply.

At that, she turned back towards the redhead. "Hurry up!"

"Shut up," he ordered, lifting his gun up a second too late. He managed to hold the Reaper's mouth away. "Do something!" he choked out, the Reaper's hand gripping his throat.

"What? I don't have a gun!" she pointed out, clutching her hands helplessly to her chest as she watched the remaining three stalk towards her.

Priest inwardly cursed her human nature – it meant she was naturally of the prey mindset. "The light!" he managed to stutter out, his grip weakening.

Her eyes lit up with understanding and she popped open the small UV scope in her hands, pointing the light at the advancing Reapers. They each gave a shriek when the light hit them and they darted away.

"HA!" she cheered, turning to look at her companion. As if in slow motion, she saw the Reaper attach a large barb into Priest's arm, his fangs followed. "Fuck!" She pointed the light towards it, burning Priest in her haste. She didn't blink when the two screamed in unison – better burnt than dead. The Reaper scurried away and Priest slid to the floor. She let a stream of expletives out of her mouth before dropping down next to him.

Scud's voice chimed in her ear, "Use your entry lights! They can't stand the UV!"

"No shit, Sherlock," she said back, some of her sass coming back to her. "Priest's down but still alive. We're sitting ducks here, though."

Priest gave her a murky, dazed look that told her he barely recognized her. What was wrong with him?

"He better still be alive when we get there, chica," Chupa growled.

Naveky didn't bother with a reply. Crouching next to the fallen man, she searched his pockets and drew a knife out of one of them. She contemplated it for a second before putting it aginst her skin. She didn't flinch when she cut her wrist, first dripping a substantial amount of the blood onto his open wound before pressing it to his mouth.

Her eyes darted around her, open UV next to her foot near her free hand. She made a small noise of surprise when Priest latched his fangs to her wrist before settling into the routine of being fed from. It had been so long she had almost forgotten what it felt like. She half-turned when she heard a noise, lifting the scope up. She sighed in relief at the sight of the approaching man.

Asad lifted his arms in the universal 'I mean no harm' gesture. "Is he alright?" he asked glancing at the fallen man drinking from her arm.

"He will be," she replied. She put the UV light down. "Hopefully," she added.

Nodding, he took post next to her.

* * *

Nyssa followed Blade silently back to the Bloodpack who were standing in a semi-circle around a writhing Priest.

Chupa held a gun against a struggling Naveky's temple. Asad stood next to him, yelling that she hadn't done anything.

"What are you doing?" Nyssa cried, striding forward.

"This bitch did something to Priest," Chupa snarled.

"I was trying to save him," Naveky yelled back.

Nyssa grabbed her from Chupa. "What did you do?" she asked. She stared at the streak of blood on the girl's wrist. The faint outline of someone's mouth could be seen in the drying red. "He fed?"

"She can't have fed him, there's no wound," Reinhardt pointed out. The two women ignored him.

"He fed," the other woman whispered, looking away.

Nyssa gasped and let her go, taking a half step back.

"What does that mean exactly?" Blade asked.

Everyone listened for the answer, even Chupa who had decided to straddle Priest's chest in an attempt to calm the other man down.

"My name," Naveky started when she realized Nyssa wasn't going to answer, "means 'forever.' I am, what you would say, the perfect donor to you people." She laughed bitterly. "I live longer than a normal human, regenerate quicker so I won't die of blood loss, and I'm immune to the bite."

"That's impossible," Reinhardt declared.

"Asad knows I was feeding him, he was there!" she countered. "And yet I am not suffering from his venom. I thought since I was immune my blood would counteract the Reaper virus." She didn't dare reveal that she already knew she was immune to the Reaper virus as well. Not even Nyssa knew that. Damaskinos would surely kill her if she exposed the truth.

"Or he could go into shock and die," Nyssa argued.

"He was going to die anyway! Better we chance his survival than leave him to die," Naveky said.

"Even if he lives," Nyssa began.

"I will deal with the repercussions!" Naveky snarled. The rest of the group besides Nyssa was surprised at such a vampiric response.

"You're not fully human are you," Blade guessed after a long pause.

She laughed. "I'm human," she answered. "A failed line of genetically modified humans bred to be the perfect sustenance for vampires."

"Failed?" Blade arched a brow.

"Too many hiccups in the product, so Damaskinos pulled the plug and tried his hand at a new way of harvesting blood," she explained. Her eyes settled onto the still aggressive Priest. "Even I am not perfect, and I am the last. The only one deemed worthy enough for life."

Priest's movements slowed and Chupa drew his hands away from him.

"He will never hunger for anything else but me," she said in a far off voice. "Never tire of the taste of my blood."

Priest took in a breath and Chupa got off of him. Everyone's eyes were now turned towards the redheaded man but her words still echoed into their ears.

"Imperfect," she whispered, talking more to herself than the rest of the room.

He sat up and took in another breath, taking in the scents of the room.

"Naveky," her voice rose to her normal level.

He opened his eyes and looked straight at her, ignoring all others in the room.

"_Forever."_

**Fin.**

* * *

Disclaimer: I do not own _Blade_.

A/N: I kind of really like this even though there is no actual romance in this fic. And, if you think about it, if they were genetically altering Vampires in Blade II and harvesting humans in Blade III to find a better way of feeding, what's to say they didn't try genetically altering humans to find a better a way of feeding. Review… Don't review. Just needed to get this off my chest because it was really bothering me and my muse wouldn't leave me alone till I actually typed it out, which is probably how I managed to write the complete thing in one sitting.

And Priest was chosen because, COME ON! Tony Curran is irresistible!


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